CHAPTER 4: Silence and Spitting
As soon as the team made it back I put them straight to work. Apparently this base was even more under-equipped than I'd been lead to believe. Despite being an organization dedicated to fighting and studying aliens, they didn't have a place to put the damn corpses! And in the event they were discovered, they had no means of fighting off an aerial assault. I remedied this by ordering an alien containment room and a missile defense system constructed. I also requisitioned a larger radar system.
Also, I moved all of our spare equipment onto the Skyranger, because SOMEONE couldn't live without their auto-cannon...
Shinji.
: Wait, wha--
MOVING ON.
I realized that since Scout was now fertilizer out in some ditch, we were low on manpower. So I've ordered a new batch of recruits, along with a tank for the heavy-duty missions.
The night came...
And it passed. Not a single UFO the entire night. Nice going, voices in my head. Great spot to set up a secret base.
As a side note, our recruits came in.
: Hello, Uriel. You have been selected to join X-COM because you are among the best of the best. Will you live up to that expectation?
: Indeed I will, sir.
: That's fantastic, welcome to X-COM. But, I can't help but notice you're wearing full battle gear in my office. Why is that, exactly?
: Gotta stay vigilant. Never know when the aliens are gonna attack.
: Hm. If that were said under any other circumstances I'd have called you insane.
: So then, you are... Iti the Androgynous? Why did you take that name?
: ... All right then. We're going to need a full facial check. Please remove your mask.
: No.
: B-but why?..
: This is my identity. It is the only face you will need.
: What? That's stupid, I would never agree to *frrzshk* let such an eager young recruit like you walk out that door without a job. Welcome aboard, Iti.
: Well, Williams, that about wraps up the interview. I have to say, I'm impressed, your credentials are fully filled out, psych evaluation came back without any issues, and you actually wore something special instead of full battle regalia for this interview.
: Just trying to be presentable, sir.
: Very impressive indeed. I think you have a future here, Williams.
*Johnathan leaves*
: ... is what I would say if I didn't know you're going to die on your first mission.
: Hm... sir, there appears to be some kind of leech on your back. If you want, I could shoot it off.
: What? Oh, this guy! He's no leech, he's Dave!
: Hello!
: ... If you want, I could shoot it off.
: Me Greg. Greg fight alieeeeeeens for food-people.
: Food-people, huh? And what's going to stop you from eating our brains while you fight for us?
: Oh, Greg stomach no handle human. Only alien.
: Greg, look at yourself. You have scrambled over the table, backed me into a corner, and you are now nibble on my toe. How do you explain that?
: Um... it how Greg show affection?
: ... Welcome to X-COM, Greg.
We also had a tank pilot join us at X-COM. I expected some sort of soldier, but instead I got a kid with goggles, yet no shirt.
: Kid, just what the hell are you doing on that tank?.. and why is there a face painted on it?
: I am Simon the Digger! I want to fight for humanity against the aliens, to protect others! My friends, my bro, they're all counting on me! My drill will be the drill to--
: All right, Kid, let me stop you there.
: Huh?
: You kind of remind me of my son, you know that? He used to make speeches about protecting things too. Do you know what happened? The entire energy was destroyed. Do you want that to happen again, Kid?
: N-no?
: Then get out of the tank, calm yourself down, go find my son Shinji and help him while he's making me a sandwich, okay? Let the grown ups--and Shinji--take care of the aliens, all right?
: *grumbling*
Five days. Five days passed after that, and not a single UFO appeared. I had nearly given up all hope when...
: Hallelujah! Somebody pinpoint that thing!
: *PFFFFFFFFFFFFFT*
: Oh my God, there's hot coffee in my eyes!
: Quibble, how did it land so close without us noticing?!
: Sir, it's in my eyes! It burnsssss!
: CAN IT, GOD DAMN YOU, AND ANSWER ME!
: I don't know, sir, I don't know! *sobs*
: Launch the Skyhunter!
: You mean Skyranger!
: Who gives a shit!
Will the newly-bolstered (yet low on equipment) X-COM forces defeat the alien menace? Will we be conquered by our extraterrestrial foes? Hell if I know, I haven't seen yet! But find out in the next chapter of X-COM Genesis Evangelion!
Okay, I've ordered supplies so everyone gets their favorite weapons, but they're not here yet, so bear with me for one or two more missions, please.
And Burnt Pies, I lost your stat sheet somewhere but you're definitely in there, so I piggybacked you on somebody else for the interview. Just making it clear that you weren't shoved into a background role.